Highway 13 Fire now 80 percent contained (10-06-12)

The 120 firefighters working the fire were supported today by two heavy helicopters and a light helicopter. The fire is 15 miles north of Rifle, predominately on Bureau of Land Management-administered lands.

The last remaining area without containment is in a very steep and rugged section on the southeast corner of the fire. Efforts in this area will continue to focus on suppression from the air tomorrow. Firefighters on the ground tomorrow will focus on patrolling the perimeter and strengthening containment lines.

A number of firefighters and other resources will be released from the fire tomorrow.

Fire officials remind the public that the dry conditions the area faced during much of the summer are still with us, creating a high fire danger fairly late in the year.

Updated information is available at www.inciweb.org or by calling 970 456-3623.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands.